


the night is young and so am i

by nosecoffee



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, Asexual Character, Asexual Jughead, Asexuality, Awkwardness, Black Eyes, Fluff, Graduation, He could murder me and I'd say thanks, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Jason didn't die AU, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, Minor Violence, Skinny Dipping, Sneaking Out, because apparently skinny dipping is my headcanon for how kids in Riverdale blow off steam, i love Jughead so much, i seem to use the skinny dipping tag a lot, im having a #week, im not even sorry, mild homophobia, no Grundy ever happened AU, they get what's coming to em don't you worry, vague pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-10-07 17:57:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10366242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nosecoffee/pseuds/nosecoffee
Summary: "Do you often get into fist-fights with gangs after skinny-dipping in a river with a guy from school?"Jughead laughed, twisting a strand around his index finger. "No." He replied, a wistful smile on his face. There was still blood on his chin. "This was a first."





	

**Author's Note:**

> Title from 'The Safety Damce' by Men Without Hats
> 
> Chapter title from 'No One Else' from Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
> 
> I'm not sorry and I'll never apologise

Jughead sat across from him, stretching in his restlessness, a strip of pale flesh bared by the hem of his t-shirt becoming visible as he stretched.

Archie held the ice pack to his eye.

"Do you think it'll bruise?" He asked.

Jughead snorted, hands dropping to his lap. "There's no way it won't."

He sighed, "Betty's gonna kill me."

"You should've ducked." Jughead told him, seriously. "You saw the punch coming; I know you saw it."

Archie shrugged, sitting up a little more against the shelf behind him. "I'd already broken his nose, it was the least I could do than let him land a terrible punch." He lifted the ice pack a bit and put it back. "I just didn't know it'd hurt that much."

Jughead shrugged again. "Ah well, not much you can do now, is there?"

"No, I suppose not."

"I wouldn't be too fussed." Jughead said, nonchalant, in his uninjured state.

"Yeah, well, you didn't get punched in the eye." He grumbled.

Jughead laughed. "No, if I recall correctly, I did most of the eye-punching." He tutted at the memory. "Except for your guy. Knew he was a nasty piece of work when I saw him."

Archie didn't reply.

"You can never tell with them."

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" He asked.

Jughead examined his raw knuckles. "My dad taught me. Before he was in with the Serpents, he did a lot of self defence and taught me as practice."

"Oh."

There was silence for a moment. Jughead played with the separated strands of his damp hair, from underneath his beanie, Archie stared at his hands begrudgingly.

And then, "Do you often get into fist-fights with gangs after skinny-dipping in a river with a guy from school?"

Jughead laughed, twisting a strand around his index finger. "No." He replied, a wistful smile on his face. There was still blood on his chin. "This was a first. But I must say, I wouldn't have known they were Serpents if you hadn't kneed one of them in the crotch."

Archie winced. "Did I?"

"Do you have a concussion?" Jughead looked concerned, leaning forward and touching his temple, his fingers brushing against the smoothness of his silky red hair. "He can't have hit you that hard."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he had." He told him, touching Jughead's chin, lightly, the dried blood flaking off his skin.

"That'll mean that you'll miss the graduation rehearsal." Jughead said, his tongue pushing against the inside of his cheek. Archie let his head thump back into the shelf.

"Shit. Betty _and_ Veronica are going to kill me."

Jughead laughed, sitting back with a thump. There was a long silence between them. And then, "So, you're still taking Betty to the prom?" He asked, almost absentmindedly.

Archie looked at him, taking the ice pack off his eye. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Jughead shrugged. "I dunno. I just thought since..." He paused. "I just thought that you might have changed your mind. Anyway."

His expression, Archie assumed, was meant to be nonchalant but he could see a strain in it. He wondered what it was.

Archie licked his lips, wondering whether he should say something.

Jughead obviously wanted him to.

They were skirting around the real subject, afraid to delve in.

Maybe Jughead just wanted him to forget it.

Archie swallowed.

"What they said to you-" he began and watched Jughead almost flinch.

"Don't." Jughead said, voice cracking.

"It's not true." Archie protested.

"Stop, Archie." Jughead closed a hand around his wrist and they locked eyes. A flush crept into Jughead's cheeks.

Archie looked down, to where Jughead's hand was clasped around his wrist, just above his watch. It proclaimed it 4:19 am, and Archie pulled away, standing, abruptly.

"Wait, Archie-" Jughead said, standing as well. Archie handed him the ice pack.

"I have to get home. My dad will murder me when he finds out that I was out all night."

Jughead nodded, looking resolute, and guided him to the ladder.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow - um, later, then." He stammered, all traces of his adventurous self vanished in the warm light of the street lamps.

"Yeah." He turned and climbed down the ladder to the treehouse.

He turned and saw Jughead watching him from the window as he strode around the fence, into the street.

~

_There was a shadow knocking on his second storey bedroom window. This shadow was a person, Archie assumed, but he couldn't make them out in the darkness.  
_

_He rubbed his eyes, and turned on his desk lamp, blinking in surprise to see Jughead, crouched on the tree branch outside his window.  
_

_Archie hurried to the window and slid it open, stepping back for him to jump into his room with a thump. Archie winced, glancing at his clock.  
_

_His dad would kill him if he found someone in his room at midnight.  
_

_Or, at least, a someone who wasn't Betty. (His dad adored Betty).  
_

_"So glad you could make it," Archie said, meaning to sound sarcastic, and failing as his voice cracked from sleep. He cleared his throat.  
_

_"Sorry." Jughead replied. "I was bored."  
_

_"You jumped my fence and woke me up cause you were bored?"  
_

_Jughead shrugged, a grin beginning to spread his lips across his face. "Yeah. For kicks."  
_

_Archie sighed, unable to argue with him on it. "What did you have in mind."  
_

_"Good question." Jughead said and Archie turned to find some shoes.  
_

_Jughead had never dragged him out of bed before, but he'd known him for long enough to know that they wouldn't exactly be playing snap on his bedroom floor._

~

Betty gaped at him as she exited her house, bag slung stylishly over one shoulder. She touched his bruised cheek with her thumb and he hissed in pain.

"What on Earth did you do to get this?" She asked.

Archie shrugged, the way he had when his dad had asked almost that exact question earlier that morning. "Fell over."

"On your face?" Betty asked in a dubious voice. Archie wrinkled his nose.

She led him out onto the sidewalk and they slowly made their way down it.

"Can you tell me why you have a black eye?" Betty inquired when they were halfway to school.

"If I did, you wouldn't believe me." He replied, honestly.

She scoffed. "Try me."

"I got into a fist fight."

Betty raised an eyebrow. "Bullshit. I'm more inclined to believe the 'I fell on my face' story than that."

"Okay." Archie replied, shrugging.

Betty cast him a curious look.

"Were you really in a fist fight?"

"Again, you wouldn't believe me."

She punched his arm. "Try me." Betty repeated.

"I got into a fist fight with the Serpents."

"Either you're lying, or you were so drunk last night that you believe that that's what happened." She said.

Archie shrugged again. "Whatever you say. I still got battle scars."

Betty rolled her eyes, and they continued down the path in silence.

~

 _Jughead thought it was ironic to wear heely's. Archie found it impractical where they were going. Or rather, on grass._  
  
_"You're gonna fall over," he told him, not for the first time that night. Jughead scoffed._  
  
_"No, I'm not. I've been practicing." The sky was dark, but the stars weren't visible where they were. Too many lights._  
  
_Practice doesn't mean you won't trip." Archie pointed out._

_Jughead shrugged. "Whatever, we're almost there."_

_"And where exactly is 'there', anyway?" He asked._

_"You'll see." Was all he said in reply._

_He followed Jughead down the road, over the oval, past the school, past Veronica's. Archie had no idea where he was going._

_And eventually, they reached the river. Jughead inevitably fell down, onto the damp sand, and he lay there, with a sigh._

_Archie threw caution to the wind and lay down beside him. "So, this is it?"_

_"What were you expecting?" Jughead elbowed him in the side. "Drugs?"_

_He laughed. "No offence, but it's not that hard to believe, what with your dad and the Serpents and all."_

_"That's very true." Jughead rolled onto his back, hands cupping the back of his skull, supporting his head as he gazed up at the light-polluted night sky. Archie followed his lead._

_"Why are you even awake?" He asked. "Something special happening tomorrow - today? Later?"_

_"No," Jughead sighed, his face almost sad. "It's just the_ moon, _Archie. The_ sky. _How can_ anybody _sleep? There was_ never _such a night before. I couldn't sleep if I wanted to."  
_  
_"I take it back, you're totally high right now." Archie said and watched Jughead roll his eyes. He was obviously in a writing mood, and couldn't get the story out.  
_  
_It happened often enough to make sense.  
_  
_Jughead turned to him, his black curls dusted with flecks of sand. "I knew that the only other person in this goddamn town who'd appreciate a night sky like this would be you."_

_Archie shook his head, incredulous at his seriousness, and decided to humour him. "And you want me to stare at the moon with you?"_

_The lapping of the river answered him._

_Archie stared at the sky, content with Jughead's silence if he didn't want to answer him._

_"What else is there to do, Arch?" He eventually whispered when Archie had all-but dozed off._

_"Sleep?" He suggested. Sleeping on the shore of the river would raise questions with everyone, but he knew Jughead wouldn't leave him until he was satisfied._

_"I can't. Archie, I don't know what it is." He rolled on top of him, a_ nd _Archie knew he was definitely awake now. Their noses touched. He could feel Jughead's breath on his lips. Jughead's gazed into his eyes like Archie was his beloved moon. "I don't know what it is," Jughead repeated, his voice barely a whisper, as if he was afraid to wake the world. "But I feel like I'll never be this happy again."_

_"Don't be ridiculous," Archie whispered._

_"I'm not, Arch. I'm being practical. We are here for such a short amount of time, and I_ refuse _to waste it, just because my brain demands rest." He announced.  
_  
_Archie exhaled slowly, aware of just how close they were. He imagined, in their proximity, that he could taste Jughead's lips. Almost blanched at the obscurity of the thought.  
_  
_Jughead pulled away. The spell broke and he stood, brushing the sand off his jeans._

 _"So, what next?" Archie asked, sitting up. Jughead's mask had fallen back into place, smiling mischievously. Archie felt as if he'd only see that side of him, the one so fascinated with the world, and_ being _in general, once every full moon.  
_  
_"I'm glad you asked." Jughead replied, and pulled his t-shirt over his head._

~

Veronica looked about as shocked as Betty had when she saw him earlier that morning. And then the mother-hen protectiveness set in.

"Who the fuck punched you? 'Cause I'll fuck. Them. Up."

Archie knew how scary Veronica could look. But at present moment, in her pearls and pencil skirt and such, she looked both mutinous, and stylish. He had no doubt she could.

Archie shook his head. "I'm fine, don't worry about it."

Veronica cocked her hip, giving him a searching look. "Are you sure? I haven't been in a fight in weeks - I think it's Betty's doing but whatever."

"Ronnie-" Archie made to protest but Veronica cut him off.

"Just give me a name. I'll track 'em down in less than half an hour." Her expression was totally serious.

"Ronnie, calm down." He put a hand on her arm and she shrugged him off.

"Was it Reggie again? Was he bullying Jughead?" She ignored his attempts to break in, plowing on on her point. "You don't need to protect him like that, I've seen him kick someone in the mouth, with his little tennis shoes. I can hit 'em just as hard."

Archie blanched for a second before shaking his head. "It wasn't Reggie. And yes, I've seen him fight, though I haven't seen the teeth-kick thing." Veronica nodded in satisfaction. "And I'm very aware of how capable you are of destroying people. I heard you and Betty almost turned Chuck into soup once."

Veronica grinned. "Good times." She mused.

"Look, I'll tell you, just promise not to tell anybody else." She mimed zipping her lips.

"My lips are sealed, pretty boy." Veronica promised.

Archie sighed. "Jughead and I got in a fistfight with some Serpents last night." She raised an eyebrow, fractionally.

"Unsurprising." She commented, turning back to the podium. "I'm satisfied for now. Don't you have a song to practice, or something?"

That was code for 'get out' and Archie knew how to take a hint.

"You're right." Archie said, exiting the room with a sigh.

~

_Archie gaped at Jughead, standing in front of him, trying to convince him that skinny-dipping was a good idea.  
_

_"Jughead..." He trailed off, trying to look everywhere except for his newly revealed pale shoulders._

_"C'mon, Archie. You don't have to be naked - in fact I prefer that you're not naked. Just down to your underwear." Jughead pleaded, his playful smile verging on a pout._

_"You've done everything else for me tonight."_

_It was true. Archie could hardly deny him anything. He hated that about himself._

_"Fuck, fine." He agreed. "But not past the underwear, okay?"_

_Jughead nodded with a wide grin and finished stripping off._

_Archie tried to put it off as long as he could, but once he'd freed his bare feet from his jeans, Jughead was tugging him into the blissfully cold water._

_"You know, kids have probably peed in here." Archie said, up to his waist._

_"Whatever, I don't care." Jughead replied, splashing him. He floated on his back, methodically kicking every few seconds.  
_  
_Archie stayed where he was, toes buried in the sand, waves lapping at his ribs. The moonlight shimmered on the river, casting ghostly shadows on the trees.  
_  
_Archie put his hands on the surface of the water, unable to let himself do anything else.  
_  
_"Are you just gonna stand there?" Jughead asked, floating up to him. "I thought we were here for fun, not to have existential crisis' in the river."  
_  
_Archie went to say something when a strange look came over Jughead's face and he dove under the water, grabbing Archie's ankle and unbalancing him.  
_  
_Archie went under and was submerged in the water. It hurt his head at the suddenness.  
_  
_He came up for air, choking, and glared at Jughead who was laughing his head off.  
_  
_"Jaws enough for you?" Jughead asked.  
_  
_Archie rolled his eyes. "You're a little short to be Jaws, aren't you?"  
_  
_"We're the same height, Archie."  
_  
_"You're a little crazy, you know that?" Archie told him, squeezing his eyes shut.  
_  
_"Yeah," Jughead replied. "But that's the fun of it, isn't it?"  
_  
_It was less of a question than he meant it to be, Archie assumed, opening his eyes. He was close enough to see him clearly in the dark. He softly put a hand on Jughead's arm.  
_  
_"Why me?" Archie asked.  
_  
_"What?"  
_  
_"To stare at the moon and shit. Why'd you pick me?"  
_  
_Jughead looked up, pupils fixed on the infinite black sky. "You were easy. In a, you know, non-sexual way."  
_  
_Archie laughed and Jughead pulled him into a hug, leaning their foreheads together.  
_  
_It wasn't the first time that night that they'd been nose-to-nose, but this time almost took Archie's breath away.  
_  
_And then it did._

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know what you think? Track me down on Tumblr @nose-coffee, and leave a comment/kudos if you feel like it. I'd love to hear what you liked, and if you have any questions. I have no idea when the next chapter will be up, so bare with me? Pretty please? Thanks.


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